Players and coaches for both Colorado State and Utah State do not anticipate a shootout Saturday afternoon in Logan, Utah.

Despite playing the most demanding schedule in the conference, Utah State tops the Mountain West and ranks 20th nationally in total defense. The Aggies also lead the league in rushing defense and pass defense.

“I think it’s going to be a lower scoring game,” Aggies junior linebacker Zach Vigil told media covering CSU. “Both teams are going to be physical up front. Whichever team is most physical will probably win.”

Following Tuesday’s practice, McElwain told reporters that Rams sophomore running back Donnell Alexander was able to participate in only “a couple” of repetitions with his sore knee. “And I say that gingerly,” McElwain added.

The University of Colorado’s Addison Gillam takes down Cal’s Brendan Bigelow (5) in the first half of a game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2013. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

BOULDER — With a No. 23-ranked team standing in the way of a possible bowl game, Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre says his offense will have to mix it up against Southern California on Saturday night.

“If you just decide to throw every time, their D-line is too good, they can cover well enough they can get to the quarterback,” MacIntyre said at his weekly media luncheon Tuesday. “Then if you decide if you’re going to run every time, they’re good enough to press up. Keep them off balance.

“There’s different ways to do that but you can’t get one-dimensional on them because they’re too good. You have to keep them off balance, different formations, different things that we do. That allows our windows to be a little more open for our quarterback. They’re so athletic they’re like pros. The windows shut quick.”

MacIntyre, whose Buffaloes are 4-6 (1-6 Pac-12), said he has watched USC (8-3, 5-2) all year and not just since Lane Kiffin got fired. Under interim coach Ed Orgeron, the Trojans are 5-1.

Colorado State running back Kapri Bibbs outruns the New Mexico defense in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Albuquerque, N.M. Bibbs rushed for six touchdowns and ran 291 yards during Colorado State’s 66-42 win. (Eric Draper, The Associated Press)

Speaking on a teleconference Tuesday with media who cover Colorado State, Utah State football coach Matt Wells called CSU’s Kapri Bibbs “the hottest running back in the nation right now.”

Wells added that the entire CSU offense is playing great.

“It’s an offensive line that is playing very, very well,” he said. “The tight ends are playing well. And I know from past experience that they’re being coached up. I have a tremendous amount of respect for that offensive staff.

Colorado State Rams running back Kapri Bibbs in action during spring (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Here’s my weekly installment of “10 things you may not know” — about Saturday’s Nevada at Colorado State game.

As always, special thanks go to the schools’ respective sports information offices.

1. Although Colorado State and Nevada have met 10 previous times since 1997, this will be the first as Mountain West Conference foes. Nevada left the Western Athletic Conference and joined the MW beginning with the 2012 football season. CSU leads the series 9-2 but Nevada has won two of the past three — including the most recent meeting: 51-6 in Reno on Sept. 11, 2010, when current NFL star Colin Kaepernick threw for two touchdowns and ran for a pair.

2. First-year Wolf Pack coach Brian Polian had never previously been a head coach. But he’s the son of former NFL executive Bill Polian and can joke that football oozes from his veins. Give Brian credit, he didn’t tug on the NFL coattails of his dad. He had served as an assistant coach at Michigan State, University of Buffalo, Baylor, Notre Dame, Stanford and Texas A&M.

Kapri Bibbs of Colorado State University controls the ball against University of Nevada at Hughes Stadium. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Nevada starting wide receiver Aaron Bradley (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game at Colorado State with a hamstring issue.

That may not be good news for the Rams.

Bradley’s replacement would be redshirt-freshman Hasaan Henderson who is listed at 6-5, 230, and appears to be getting the hang of receiver after being signed in 2012 as a quarterback out of Las Vegas (Nev.) High School.

Henderson comes off career-bests of five receptions for 82 yards in last week’s 41-23 loss at Fresno State.

“(Henderson’s) athletic ability speaks for itself,” Nevada senior receiver Brandon Wimberly told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “He’s physical and he’s good at catching the ball and running routes. You got a little taste of that (against Fresno State), and you’re probably going to get a lot more of it.”

Here’s this week’s edition of 10 things you may not know … about Colorado State’s home game Saturday night against Boise State.

As always, with special thanks to the respective sports info offices of the respective schools.

1. Amazingly with both schools located in the Rocky Mountain region, Colorado State and Boise State had never met in football prior to 2011, when the Broncos joined the Mountain West Conference.

2. Although Boise State is a modest 5-3, the Broncos remain the winningest major-college program since 2000. Boise State is 152-24 (.864) since then, ahead of Oklahoma (.819), Ohio State (.809), Texas (.787) and LSU (.782) in the top five. The Broncos also are the highest scoring team (40.88) since 2000, ahead of Oregon (37.61), Oklahoma (36.87) and Texas (36.86).

3. The Broncos have lost three games for only the second time in Chris Petersen’s eight years as head coach. His second team, the 2007 Broncos, went 10-3.

4. Colorado State was outgained in total offensive yards 503 to 229 in last year’s meeting, a 42-14 Boise State win in Boise. It was even worse the previous year in Fort Collins, when the Broncos outgained CSU by 742 to 231 in a 63-13 beat down of the Rams.

Boise State is one of the few Division I college football programs that prohibits its players from being interviewed by “opponent’s media” but I was able to get on a teleconference with Broncos coach Chris Petersen.

Here are some of his thoughts about Saturday night’s game in Fort Collins against Colorado State:

On importance of running back Jay Ajayi in light of the Broncos having to change quarterbacks with Grant Hedrick replacing injured Joe Southwick: “We always want to be balanced. So that doesn’t change a whole lot. Anytime you run the ball, it always takes pressure off your quarterback, no matter who he is.”

BOULDER — Colorado visits 20th-ranked UCLA and a slumping quarterback in Brett Hundley. It’s no disgrace to lose at Stanford and Oregon, but the sophomore quarterback struggled. In the two games, Hundley was 37-of-58 (.638) for 256 yards with four interceptions and two touchdowns.

“They consumed him a little bit,” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said at Tuesday’s media luncheon. “Oregon and Stanford’s front is excellent. Stanford sacked Oregon State nine times. Oregon brings them in in waves. One 6-6, 280 guy for another 6-6, 280 guy. That distracts his running lanes.

“Everybody talks about sacks but it’s also passing lanes, harassment, having to sit and not having a clean pocket makes you inaccurate.”

AirForce quarterback Nate Romine passes to running back Anthony LaCoste, during the second half of an NCAA college football game against San Diego State, at the AirForce Academy, Colo. Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013. San Diego State won 27-20. (Brennan Linsley, AP)

Check out our live blog with reporters from The Denver Post and other media outlets covering the college football game between Notre Dame and Air Force.

BOULDER — Colorado is 3-3, already blessed with as many wins as it had since 2010. Yes, two have come against FCS teams but when it comes to a bowl bid, it doesn’t matter. The NCAA was kind enough to give the Buffaloes a waiver. It’s the least it could do after their Sept. 14 home game with Fresno State was flooded out.

They must go at least 3-3 to earn their first bowl bid since 2007 when Dan Hawkins’ second team lost to Alabama in the Independence Bowl, 30-24.

It’s a long shot. Still, let’s take a look at its remaining schedule:

Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12), Saturday. The Wildcats are coming off a valiant 35-24 win over Utah and Ka’Deem Carey is already licking his chops. He shredded Colorado’s defense for a school-record 366 yards last year and just rushed for 236 yards against Utah defense that’s better than Colorado’s. Still, if Colorado is going bowling, it must pull an upset here.

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.